Erie County can trace its heritage to the Revolutionary War when numerous Connecticut residents were burned out of their homes by the raiding British. To compensate these citizens for their losses, the Connecticut Assembly awarded them 500,000 acres in the western most portion of the Western Reserve, which came to be known as the Firelands. The Firelands includes the area that is now Erie and Huron Counties, as well as Ruggles and Danbury Townships.

The first recorded people of the Firelands were the Erie Indians, whose stories are told on Inscription Rock at Kelleys Island. Although the carvings have been eroded by both nature and man, they are considered to the most extensive, well sculpted pictographs in the Eastern United States. The Erie Indians were driven out of the Firelands by the Iroquois in 1655, and the area was later occupied by the Ottawa and Wyandot Indians.

Perry's victory is commemorated by Perry's Monument and National Park at Put­in­Bay, on South Bass Island.

In the years preceding the Civil War, Sandusky became an important terminal in the Underground Railroad. Sympathetic abolitionists sheltered runaway slaves on their dangerous and weary flights to freedom. Many of Sandusky's older homes have secret passages and rooms that were used to hide the slaves from their southern masters and slave catchers.

Although no battles were fought in Sandusky during the Civil War, the area was nonetheless affected by this great tragedy in American history. Johnson's Island, located in Sandusky Bay, was the site of a prison for Confederate soldiers. The compound usually had about 3,000 prisoners at any one time, but had a capacity for 5,000. A cemetery was established on the east end of the island for those who died while imprisoned. Some of the bodies were removed to their southern homes at the end of the war, but 206 remained on the island. A monument was erected to the soldiers' memory in 1910, and the cemetery is now federal property.
Sandusky has the largest collection of limestone buildings on Ohio. They are erected in every different Victorian style popular during the 19^th century.

Johnson's Island, across the bay from Sandusky, was the site of a prison camp for Confederate Officers during the Civil War. Between 12,000 and 15,000 men were imprisoned there. 206 men who died at the prison are buried on the site. The Federal Government maintains the cemetery, which can be reached by car from the Marblehead peninsula. Johnson's Island itself is privately owned.

After the Civil War finally ended and the problems of the post war years were addressed, a weary nation was ready to explore life's pleasures. Sandusky area residents were no exception as they discovered the joy of Cedar Point. By 1882, several buildings were erected to accommodate the fishermen, boaters, swimmers and picnickers who visited the peninsula's beautiful beaches. Dances were held regularly and with the building of the Hotel Breakers in 1905, Cedar Point was soon on its way to becoming one of the largest amusement parks and biggest tourist attractions in the nation. The future looked promising for the Sandusky area as the nation neared the 20th century. Local industry was prospering, with plenty of jobs available.

The fishing industry boomed, giving credence to its claim as "the largest fresh water fish market in the world." Natural ice harvested from the frozen waters of the lake and bay was profitable. Grapes were planted extensively on the islands, which resulted in the establishment of a large and successful wine industry. Quarries of limestone and sandstone employed hundreds, and local automobile factories provided work for area residents as well.

Three large manufacturing plants that located in the area in the late 1800's and early 1900's are still in existence today. The Sandusky Paper Company, which became the Hinde and Dauch Paper Company and then the West Virginia Pulp and Paper.

Company; the American Crayon Company, which is now known as Dixon Ticonderoga; and the Sandusky Foundry and Machine Company, which now does business as Sandusky International, Inc. Other companies soon established themselves, providing the foundation for the diverse manufacturing  base the area presently enjoys.

Since its beginnings over 150 years ago, the Sandusky area has valued its heritage as a hardworking, prosperous, creative and innovative people, qualities that can be attributed to our continued success today and qualities that will ensure a successful future as we approach the 21st century.

While a student at Notre Dame University, Knute Rockne and the other members of the Four Horsemen worked at Cedar Point. Rockne and teammate Gus Dorais are said to have perfected the forward pass on the Cedar Point beach in 1913. The following year, Rockne met and married his wife. Bonnie. in Sandusky.